I'm going to leave this build up and try to optimize it as much as possible, but I do feel that with the changes to the marauder tree that maces have lost their advantage in being much more point efficient than other weapons. Feel free to continue using it and hopefully you will do well following what I have posted here

But I still must say I feel this build has lost quite a bit with the recent changes. The entire marauder/duelist area is very inefficient point wise and I will personally be avoiding it in all of my future builds as much as possible.

If you continue to play this build please let me know your thoughts and opinions on how it works for you. Thanks

Sup Disciplus here, I'm making this because I've gotten a few questions about mace ST and how exactly I do it in a hardcore league. I'll try to cover everything here but if I miss something feel free to reply or PM me and I'll try to explain.

This is a great build to start a new league with

- It's not very gear dependent
- Allows easy solo or group play
- Very powerful early on and is completely end game viable with good gear
- Reflect is not an issue
- Can do any map mod
- Very tanky for a 2H build

First of all, why mace?

Spoiler

I prefer mace because it's a slower attacking, hard hitting weapon. The implicit mod on maces is very useful and the marauder is close to all the best mace nodes so it makes sense.

Being as we are going to be getting resolute technique the accuracy on swords is wasted and even though axes have a higher theoretical dps, the stun from maces is very useful and the slower attack speed makes lightning thorns less of a pain. Plus the mace nodes are more point efficient in my opinion.

Nothing really very fancy here, just focusing on defenses and grabbing some offensive stats when we can. The 6L is needed for end game as about 1/3 of the dps here comes from it, you can get by with a 5L for a long time but getting the 6th one and adding physical projectile attack damage adds tons of damage.

This is where I'm at @level 90, here we grab the last little bit of life, all the best mace nodes and our endurance charges.

Bandits

Spoiler

Oak
Oak
Oak or kill all, I killed all instead of having a 7th endurance charge

Why I do things

- Endurance charges provide amazing survivability, since we don't have a shield we have no chance to block attacks thus our only option is to tank them. I run an enduring cry in my cast when damage taken setup, but I also run one to try to keep my endurance charges up at all times.

- I run immortal call and increased duration in my cast when damage taken setup because when it triggers after taking 2060 damage, and with 6 endurance charges I have 8 seconds of physical immunity. This is huge. It allows me to tank tons of heavy hits in a row and 8 seconds is plenty of time to reacquire my endurance charges.

- I prefer a slower, hard hitting mace for one reason in particular. Lightning thorns. Fuck those hoes.

- The only thing I change up from what I have linked here is depending on the map I'll drop one of the life flasks and the granite of immunity, and use

which when used in tandem provide a massive boost in survivability against most physical hybrid mobs (for example titty bitches)

- Also on maps with tons of reflect I swap in a life gain on hit gem in place of added fire. That combined with 4% leech works very well.

This build has been used to kill every boss in the game except Palace Dominus in nemesis. It has been a lot of fun and a very big challenge. Hopefully this offered some insight into how I do things and answered some questions you might have about how to do it successfully in a HC league.

Nice build mate.
PRO-TIP also take oaks endurance charge IF your going to spend a point on one anyway, gives you the option to have the 7th later if needed.
:)

Agreed, in retrospect I was probably just focusing on getting some node somewhere so I was like skill point!!! I need you!!!

But yeah I think this is pretty smart. I did optimize a few things as the character was coming along though, as he was made later in the league after a RIP and a few re rolls so I was in a hurry to get a decent level before the league ended.

Only thing that might help you more if you need endurance charges faster would be to use a Q20 Warlords mark in place of one of your enduring cry gems, though I saw two of 'em - 20Q / L5 gives like 50% chance to get an endurance on kill, could be really useful for you.

Only thing that might help you more if you need endurance charges faster would be to use a Q20 Warlords mark in place of one of your enduring cry gems, though I saw two of 'em - 20Q / L5 gives like 50% chance to get an endurance on kill, could be really useful for you.

There is two, one is in my cast when damage taken setup and one I self cast.

The one in my CwDT link is just there to go off when I'm taking lots of damage (which is quite often) and the other I just cast upon hitting a fresh group on enemies to keep my charges from disappearing. Being that I run level 15 CwDT the enduring cry on it's own isn't really enough to maintain them in all situations hence the self cast one.

Getting them faster or anything isn't too much of a big deal, if I'm taking enough damage to need them then my CwDT is going to continue to go off and collect them for me. I feel this is much more effecient than trying to curse because in high level groups someone is typically running enfeeble or something of the like.

This and I also believe it is much safer to be attacking as much as possible so I'm always leeching and mobs are being stunned.

I'm trying it out ready for when new leagues start in March, like it so far but wondering if it has good times in groups and/or can do maps/dominus without too many problems? Or do you use it just for grind and farm? PvP?

I'm trying it out ready for when new leagues start in March, like it so far but wondering if it has good times in groups and/or can do maps/dominus without too many problems? Or do you use it just for grind and farm? PvP?

This character was built to map, and can do so in a group or solo. I have done every single map in the game with this build, with pretty much any combo of mods, only ever skipping palace dominus.

It is very easy to push over 6k HP with this build and makes most things in the game a cake walk due to the use of endurance charges and immortal call. You could also easily drop some of the pure defensive armor and grab some MF and farm with it, I just haven't done this myself as I really enjoy mapping and that is where most of my playtime is spent.

I haven't PvP'ed with the build at all, but since it's a 2H build and can't block I would imagine it would be terrible.

If you have any other questions, let me know and I'd be happy to help or offer my thoughts.

I'm trying it out ready for when new leagues start in March, like it so far but wondering if it has good times in groups and/or can do maps/dominus without too many problems? Or do you use it just for grind and farm? PvP?

This character was built to map, and can do so in a group or solo. I have done every single map in the game with this build, with pretty much any combo of mods, only ever skipping palace dominus.

It is very easy to push over 6k HP with this build and makes most things in the game a cake walk due to the use of endurance charges and immortal call. You could also easily drop some of the pure defensive armor and grab some MF and farm with it, I just haven't done this myself as I really enjoy mapping and that is where most of my playtime is spent.

I haven't PvP'ed with the build at all, but since it's a 2H build and can't block I would imagine it would be terrible.

If you have any other questions, let me know and I'd be happy to help or offer my thoughts.

Thanks for the input bro, i'll keep at it then! A spectral throw build was what I wanted and it was either this or Ranger, but I think I like this more!